Vaporizer.



J. A. THOMPSON.

vAPdmzER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 2|, 1915.

1 ,23 1 ,8 1 1 Patented July 3, 1917.

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JOHN A. THOMPSON, OF AVERY, IOWA, ASSIGNOR TO DANIEL ODONNELL AND GEORGE P. HIPPEE, JOINTLY, BOTH 0F DES MOINES, IOWA.

VAPOBIZER.

Application filed January 21, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Avery, in the county of Monroe and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Vaporizer, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to Vaporizers for internal combustion engines, of the type adapted to heat fuel supplied to the engine.

The object of my invention is to provide a vaporizer of comparatively simple, durable and inexpensive construction, adapted to be mounted in a manifold, or in the path of fuel supply tothe cylinders, and adapted both to supply fuel and to heat said fuel within the manifold or other part of the machine through which the fuel travels.

A further object is to provide such a device having means whereby the fuel supply passage -may be simultaneously opened to admit fuel, and the source of heat connected up for heating fuel supplied through said passage.

My invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which; v

Figure 1 shows a vertical, central, sectional view through a part of the manifold, having installed therein a vaporizer embodying my invention. Fig. 2 shows a plan elevation of the device detached from the manifold.

In the accompanying drawings I have used the reference numeral 20 to indicate generally a part of the manifold of an internal combustion engine. Screwed into the wall of the manifold 20 is a body 4, having on its outer end upward and downward extensions 22 and 23. The body 4 is provided with an opening 11 extending through it, the upper portion 15 of which is of greater diameter than the lower portion, so that the valve seat 16 is formed at the lower end of the larger portion 15. A plug 17 is screwed into the lower end of the lower extension 23, and is provided with an opening extending through it which communicates with the opening 1 1. A fuel supply pipe 3 is extended into the plug 11. The pipe 3 connects with the pipe 19, "which is the main fuel Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, 1917.

Serial No. 3,641.

supply pipe communicating between the fuel tank and carbureter.

The inner end of the body at is provided with a cup shaped opening 24 in its upper surface. An opening 25 extends through the body 4- from the cup shaped opening 24 to the opening 15, as shown.

The opening 25 extends through the body 1 from a point inside the manifold 20 to a point outside the manifold.

Screwed into the upper extension 22 is the stem 2 of the needle valve 7, which valve is adapted to coact with the seat 16 for closing the upper end of the smaller part of the passage 14. Secured to the stem 2 outside the body 4, is a lever l. Mounted on the lever 1 is an arm 27, which is insulated from the lever 21 by means of suitable material.

Mounted in the cup shaped opening is a n chrome Wire 5, connected with whlch is a suitable conducting wire 8. Extended through the opening 26 is suitable insulat ing material 28, in which is mounted the wire 8. The outer end of the wire 8 is connected at 10 with the lower end of the arm 27. Mounted on the body 4 outside the manifold is a block of insulating material 9. Mounted in the insulating block 9 is a conductor post (3, with which is connected the wire 29, adapted to be connected with a suitable source of electrical energy.

Pivoted to the lever 1 is a suitable controlling lever 18.

The practical operation of my improved vaporizer will now be described. The vaporizer body is suitably installed in the manifold 20, and the pipe 19 is connected with the proper source of supply, and with the opening 14. The wire 29 is connected with the proper source of electrical energy.

It will be understood that the lever 18 extends through the dash of the driven vehicle when the device is used on the engine of such a vehicle. Otherwise the lever 18 may the nichrome wire 5. Contact being made as above mentioned, the current is established through the nichrome wire, which is heated to a red heat, thereby heating the fuel directed around it from the passage 25. The nichrome wire 5 is connected with the body 4, and the current is therefore grounded on the body of'the engine.

When the engine has been run for a short time, my vaporizer may be moved to inoperative position by roper manipulation of the lever 1, and the uel may be supplied to the carbureter in the regular way.

The advantage of such a device is readily understood. The fuel necessary for starting the engine may be quickly and easily heated with a small supply of current, and the current may be turned off so that there is no waste 2. er the engine has been started.

The vaporizer may be used as an auxiliary to the carbureter when the engine is under heavy load.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the device is of comparatively simple construction, and inexpensive to make.

One important feature of the construction of my improved vaporizer lies in the arrangement of the cup 2 which opens on the side of the body 4 away from the direction from which the fuel comes durin its ordinary passage through the manifol 20. Thus it will be seen that when the vaporizer is moved to inoperative position and fuel is supplied to the manifold through the carbureter in the ordinary way, the wire 5 will be protected against the inrush of cold fuel from the carburetor by the walls of the cup 24, thereby avoiding as far as possible the sudden cooling of the Wire 5.

I appreciate that certain changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my vaporizer, and the vaporizer shown in the drawings is simply an exemplification of my device, and it is my in tention to cover by this application any such changes which may be included in the scope ofm claims.

I c aim as my invention.

1. In a vaporizer, the combination of a fuel passage, a body having a fuel opening extending through it, said body being adapted to be mounted in the wall of said fuel passage, with the ends of said opening on opposite sides of said wall, a cup formed at theinner end of said opening, means controllable from the outside of the passage for supplying heat to the fuel in said cup, a valve for controlling said fuel opening, and means for simultaneously operating said valve and said heat controlling means.

2. In a vaporizer, the combination of a fuel passage, 2. body having a fuel opening extending through it, said body being adapted to be mounted in the wall of said fuel passage with the ends of said opening on opposite sides of the said wall, a cup formed at the inner end of said opening, and means provided from outside of said passage for supplying heat to the fuel in said cup.

3. In a vaporizer, a body having a fuel opening extendin through it, a cup formed at one end of sai opening, a valve for controlling the opposite end of said opening, a lever on said valve, a contact arm in said lever, an insulating block on said body, a conductor post in said insulator, an electrical coil in said cup having one end connected with said body, and the other with the said contact arm, the said contact arm being adapted to make contact with the said conductor post as the lever is moved to position upon the said valve.

Des Moines, Iowa, December 8, 1914.

JOHN A. THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

J. Mann,

A. SHERMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C." 

